As U.S. employers continue to expand globally, one of the biggest challenges they encounter is talent acquisition in other countries. Different cultures, laws and expectations can make finding the right workers―or any workers―a difficult task, and mistakes can be expensive.

The following article is a summary of the CFGI 2017 Symposium session titled “Emerging Challenges and Strategies for Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention of Foreign Nationals in 2017.” Scott Fitzgerald of Fragomen Worldwide, Justin Storch of CFGI, and Allyson Gonzalez of AT&T addressed the challenges of hiring qualified applicants in today’s turbulent political environment.

As an HR professional, finding qualified talent that is a good fit with your organization’s culture can sometimes be a challenge. And sometimes it can be darn right impossible. The term “skills shortage” gets tossed around a lot lately, and the truth is, many employers know all too well how difficult it can be to match organizational needs with individuals that possess those skill sets.

Going on an international assignment is a life changing opportunity. It teaches you how to be independent, how to interact with new people, how to cope up with an entirely new culture and so much more. When you come back, you’re an entirely different person than you were before; more knowledgeable, more experienced and stronger than ever.

Any association expanding globally is seeking a return on investment. And those organizations seeking better business returns should place an emphasis on relationship building.

As more and more associations grow internationally, regardless of where they are incorporated or headquartered, so too do the expectations and scrutiny by boards and senior leadership for quick membership growth, financial returns, and tangible programmatic results.

As an American living abroad, I often get asked 'why did you choose to build a company in the UK'? My answer is simple -- I believe that finding top talent is the number one priority for building a successful company, and being based in the UK allows me to access the best from all over the world. Let me expand on this further.

The mobility landscape has evolved signiﬁcantly in the past five years. Businesses are increasingly looking outside of their home markets to broaden their talent pools and place key skills where they are needed most. This also means that as companies expand to beyond their home markets, talent mobility can be the key competitive differentiator for success.

Relocating to a new city can be a very stressful experience for employees, especially if they have never lived in the country they are moving to. It can also be very expensive for companies, with major repercussions on budget and productivity.

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